The United Democratic Front (UDF) has swiftly shot-down rising calls for the immediate resignation of the party’s president Atupele Muluzi, saying his inclusion into the Peter Mutharika cabinet was never meant to benefit individuals.

UDF Parliamentarian for Balaka North Lucius Banda is currently leading a voice-of-dissent-team that is calling for Muluzi’s ouster arguing his association with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has not only maimed the party’s voice in parliament but also killed its chances of making it at the 2019 elections.

Banda said, recently, since Muluzi’s appointment into the cabinet soon after 2014 elections, and the subsequent migration of UDF MPs to government side in Parliament, there was nothing to point at as a benefit of the pact.

But speaking on Thusday, UDF Spokesperson Ken Ndanga argued that the party’s relationship with DPP was never meant to benefit individual members of the Yellow political grouping, but Malawians.

“If a UDF leader or member performs well in a cabinet post or any other post given in a DPP led government, Malawians should be proud. And these Malawians are scattered in various political parties that are in this country.

“Benefiting from politics should be something that we should be considering doing away with as a nation. Real benefit from politics should be in form of good public service delivery,” said Ndanga.

On calls to have Muluzi either walk out of cabinet or relinquish the UDF leadership to someone, Ndanga said proponents of such a move should hold their patience.

“Right Honourable Atupele Muluzi was elected in 2012 for the purposes of 2014 elections. Before 2019 we will hold another convention where everyone will be free to contest for the post,” he said.

In respect of the two party’s friendship, there has been instances where by one would refrain from fielding a candidate just to support the other party’s.

The just recent scenario was in Zomba City Mayoral elections where by DPP withdrew its candidate Melia Likoswe Douglas to support UDF’s Davie Maunde, resulting in Maunde winning with eight votes out of 10.

Zomba City has 10 councilors. Eight are from DPP and only two, Maunde and Christopher Jana (Deputy mayor) are from UDF and PP, respectively.